Yes, this is a blog about the Natural World in which we all live. Unfortunately, some are less than responsible citizens, who refuse to live in harmony with Nature.
It’s only been a month since the Orange Oval One was sworn into office. For those of us who care about preserving and defending the Natural World, this has been a time of gobsmacking alarm, fear and disbelief. The current intruders into the halls of government are set, yes, dead set, on destroying everything we have worked for over the past fifty years, or more. They are attempting to destroy the very basis of civil society and environmental responsibility, all for the private gain of elite billionaires and their minions.
The economic tsunami looming on the horizon will change all our lives in the Santa Cruz Bioregion. It will take local political organization and support, mutual aid and cooperation before this inundation can be stopped and reversed. We are all in this together, humans, animals, plants and the living soil, interdependent and mutually responsible for the well being of all.
The next four years, at least, will be a time of retrenchment, consolidation and a change in focus from the national and international to the very local. If the Trump/Republican regime succeeds in implementing all its proposed plans, eliminates or drastically reduces government agencies and programs, we will experience reduced federal funding for social programs at the local level.
This means we would have reduced local government budgets for social and other programs dependent on federal grants and loans.
This means we would have to revive traditional social support systems that have sloughed away as the federal checks rolled in.
This means we would all have to relearn to be more self-reliant and self-sufficient, support more locally organized and funded social programs and become more involved in local county and municipal governments.
Don’t get me wrong. I do not support the Trump/Musk Siamese twins in any way. They’re the fascist ghost lurking in the wings for the past century or so, now jumping out from the shadows and yelling “BOO!!” at the top of the their lungs.
I’ve long held that the best way to deal with authoritarian central government is to ignore it to death. While we may be forced to pay attention to the Oval One and his puppetmaster, we must not give in to their demands to turn over our lives and the lives of all living beings in our bioregion to the less than gentle ministrations of this fascist cabal.
Here in the Santa Cruz Bioregion, and in the greater California political/economic structure, we have the means and capabilities to close in and provide for ourselves, if not in political secession, but in a return to cultural and economic focus on the local and bioregional, right here where we live and where we can meaningfully participate in the conduct and progression of government, economy and culture.
We can manage our population to not exceed local resources, particularly clean, potable water. We can encourage and support local agriculture in producing healthy, organic food for local consumption, not export. We can protect and restore local ecosystems to enhance biodiversity on which all life in our bioregion depends. We can organize housing to reduce the need for commuting long distances, and encourage affordable housing for all who live and work here full time.
Let’s put the wheels back on the trolly and roll toward a future that supports and encourages health and well being among all life in our bioregion.
















